This invention relates to the field of small, transportable electric power generators. In particular, a small, highly portable wind generator is presented that has an automatically extending and positioning mast.
Energy is the largest economy in the world. The need to find energy sources independent of oil is a widely recognized and sought after goal. Wind and solar power have been recognized as good alternate energy sources. However, most wind generating systems require large amounts of land and large available wind sources. Wind generators in places such as Palm Springs and Sacramento Calif. are examples of such large wind generator locations.
The tower is one of the most significant parts of a wind generator. The three major types of towers are the guyed tower, the tilt-up tower and the self-supporting tower. Each type of tower needs a prefabricated foundation of reinforced concrete and each tower is permanently attached to the ground.
An average wind generating turbine has a mast of 200 to 250 feet, with a total height including the blades of nearly 340 feet. Even smaller wind turbines have a hub height of over 100 feet and a total height of 125 feet. Small wind turbines are defined as wind powered electric systems for homes, farms and small sized businesses which produce less than 100 kilowatts (kW). It is an object of this invention to provide a self-contained renewable energy source for individual use that generates 2.5 kW and is less than 40 feet in height.
Larger wind turbine systems require construction and permanent placement. Heavy machinery, permanent foundations, concrete footings and bases and expensive outlays for land are prerequisites for the erection of larger wind turbine systems. It is another object of this invention to provide a small wind turbine electrical generation system that can be easily and readily transported and erected requiring no heavy equipment or permanent foundations.
Retractable towers have been known in the prior art for such uses as cranes, satellite dishes on news vans and mobile cell phone structures. However, these towers are not designed for extended periods of horizontal wind forces and do not contain dampeners for vibrational forces. These known towers cannot be used for varying dynamic loads such as are encountered in spinning turbine blades and engines. It is a further and other object of this invention to provide a small, highly portable retractable tower for a wind turbine.
Other and further objects of this invention will become obvious upon reading the below description of the preferred embodiment.